A Day In The Life Of Sintija Muske, Barista At Joe’s Coffee

What do you do, and how did you get here?
I’m a barista in Joe’s Coffee shop. I simply wanted to continue my journey with speciality coffee which I started in Latvia. When I was still in Latvia I already knew what I wanted to do in Ireland. I chatted with a few of my colleagues from Rocket Bean Roastery who went to World of Coffee Dublin. They tried loads of different coffees there and also used their time to go to different speciality coffee shops and explore the coffee world. One of the places they visited was Joe’s Coffee and I remember how highly they recommended me to get in contact with them.

So, the first place where I went after moving to Dublin was Joe’s Coffee. I talked to the manager who was very welcoming and appreciated my interest and knowledge about coffee. And here I am! Working in Joe’s for half a year now. The main things I do here are make different kind of espresso coffees and filter coffees, serve the customers, introduce people to the coffees we have and the regions they come from, as well as the different flavours. I also have to look after the floor, tidy up everything and make sure our environment is as clean as possible.

How do you spend your day?
I wake up at 6am, get dressed, get everything ready and go to my bus stop. At 7:30 I start work. Usually there is just one person opening the shop so I turn on our Joe’s morning playlist which always helps to get you in the right mood. Then I organise the fridge, bake fresh pastries, set up the grinders and the last thing I do in the mornings is make a fresh batch of brewed filter coffee. Usually I have a cup of fresh brew as my first morning coffee which helps to wake me up and start my day with energy. Then at 8am the next person is coming and we serve our first regular customers and get their coffees done the way they like it. At lunch time we prepare the fresh sandwiches and simply get ready for the busiest part of the day. At half 3 we do the orders for the next day and after that just spend our time tidying everything up, cleaning and making the shop is ready for tomorrow morning.

What’s the best part of your job?
The most enjoyable part of my job is tasting all the different kind of coffee from all over the world. I really love all the coffees we have and have had. Every 2-3 weeks we change our guest espresso in order to introduce different flavours in our cup of coffee. We have had coffees from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and London and many others. All of these coffees are unique and it makes the process of making the coffee very exciting.

What’s the hardest part of your job?
Sometimes it’s hard to manage to get things organised when it’s really busy and there are many customers in the queue, loads of coffee orders, sandwiches and our Joe’s has two floors, so we have to run up and down all the time.

What traits are ‘must haves’ to do your job well?
You definitely have to be responsible for what you are doing because there are many responsibilities on your shoulders. Loyalty and esteem are must haves. You also need the drive to learn more every day.

Any advice for people applying for a job like yours?
I would advise you to be open for new chances and never be afraid of the unknown because you will always learn from it. There are so many things you can absorb in this job.

What’s your ultimate goal in your career?
I have always wanted to open my own speciality coffee shop. Since I was 15 I’ve loved coffee. Every time I travelled around Latvia or even around Europe the first thing on my “must do” list was to visit as many coffee shops as possible. I would always try something new every time, compare the coffee taste and design in the coffee shops, so I would know which places to revisit or recommend to friends.

How do you unwind after work?
After a long working day I love going to a yoga class which is just a 5 minute walk from my work place. It is always so relaxing to calm your mind, body and soul. It refreshes my energy and state of mind.

Tell us one quirky thing nobody would know about you.
I really can’t stand when people ask for coffee in a paper or takeaway cup even though they are sitting inside. I just think it’s such a waste. Also coffee always tastes better in a ceramic mug, because you can’t taste any paper flavour added to your coffee.
I really like the invention in Australia – KeepCups which can be used thousand of times and there’s no waste. I always carry one with me because you never know when you are going to find a new coffee place.

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Author Aoife Geary

Aoife Geary is the Content Editor at Jobbio specialising in the areas of Workplace Culture, Diversity, Startups and Digital Trends. She's partial to a burrito, a bad pun and living way beyond her means.